Pololu Dual G2 High-Power Motor Driver 18v18 for Raspberry Pi (Assembled)

Description

This add-on board makes it easy to control two high-power DC motors with a Raspberry Pi. Its twin discrete MOSFET H-bridges support a wide 6.5 V to 30 V operating range and are efficient enough to deliver a continuous 18 A without a heat sink. The drivers offer basic current limiting functionality, and they accept ultrasonic PWM frequencies for quieter operation. The default pin mappings make it easy to get started, but they can be customized for more specialized applications. This version ships fully assembled with connectors soldered in.

The minimum operating voltage for all four versions is 6.5 V, while the maximum operating voltages are given in the above table. The board also includes an integrated 5 V, 2.5 A switching step-down regulator that can be used to power the Raspberry Pi it is plugged into, enabling operation from a single power supply.

The board matches the Raspberry Pi HAT (Hardware Attached on Top) mechanical specification, although it does not conform to the full HAT specifications due to the lack of an ID EEPROM. (A footprint for adding your own EEPROM is available for applications where one would be useful; pull-ups on SDA, SCL, and WP are provided.) It is not practical to use this expansion board with the original Raspberry Pi Model A or Model B due to differences in their pinout and form factor.

PWM operation up to 100 kHz
Motor indicator LEDs show what the outputs are doing even when no motor is connected
Integrated 5 V, 2.5 A switching step-down voltage regulator powers the Raspberry Pi base for single-supply operation
Python library makes it easy to get started using this board as a motor driver expansion board
GPIO pin mappings can be customized if the default mappings are not convenient
Current sensing and limiting pins are exposed for advanced use
Reverse-voltage protection
Undervoltage shutdown
Short circuit protection
Operating voltage: 6.5 V to 30 V (absolute maximum; not intended for use with 24 V batteries)
Output current: 18 A continuous
Active current limiting (chopping) with approximate default threshold of 50 A (can be adjusted lower)

This version of the 18v18 motor driver is fully assembled, with a 2×20-pin 0.1? female header (for the Raspberry Pi interface) and a six-pin strip of 5 mm terminal blocks (for board power and motor outputs) soldered in. It can be distinguished from the other versions by its red PCB and the number 150 on top of the six tall silver electrolytic capacitors at the corner of the board. (See item #3750 for a kit version with connectors included but not soldered in.)

Four M2.5 standoffs (11 mm length), screws, and nuts are included to secure the board to the Raspberry Pi at the proper height for the GPIO connector.

Pololu product page

Additional information